Survey: rhizome.org

Posted August 05, 2010 by Anonymous

Organization:

rhizome.org

Part 1.

Year Founded:

1996

1b. Primary activity[ies] of the organization.:

online organization devoted to presentation, exhibition and preservation of new media

1c. Organization's annual budget.:

$100,001 - $250,000

1b. Primary activity[ies] of the organization.:

Transient or Non-Physical Organization for Creation or Exhibitions

Part 2.

2a. Mission Statement:

Rhizome.org is an online platform for the global new media art community. Our programs support the creation, presentation, discussion and preservation of contemporary art that uses new technologies in significant ways. We foster innovation and inclusiveness in everything we do.

Website Link to Mission Statement:

http://rhizome.org/info/index.php

2b. Organization History / Organizational Overview. Index of important events in organization's history.:

Rhizome was founded in 1996 by the artist Mark Tribe as a mailing list run out of Berlin that provided a platform for the first artists who were experimenting with art online. In 1998 Tribe relocated to New York City and proceeded to grow the organization’s infrastructure and programs. The online archive ArtBase, an expanding repository for ten years of new media art, was founded in 1999 along with its complement the TextBase, an ongoing, searchable archive of critical writing on new media art. Rhizome’s site became a central community hub for new media artists; and the organization’s publications established themselves as essential resources for keeping abreast of new artist projects, activities and critical debate within the field. In September 2003, Rhizome became an affiliate of the New Museum of Contemporary Art; while Rhizome maintains its status as a separate 501(c)(3) with its own staff, the New Museum provides administrative support. Rhizome other activities include an annual cycle of Commissions, through which the organization awards grants to a group of artists each year to produce original works of new media, an Exhibitions program and different forums for online discussions. Rhizome maintains Member-submitted listings of opportunities for jobs and internships, calls for projects and exhibition proposals, and a calendar of new media arts eventsl Rhizome is supported in part by funding from foundations and government agences, and by revenue from its various earned income initiatives including web hosting and advertising in our publications. Rhizome is also deeply reliant on its Members for active participation in its programs, and also as a source of financial support. Rhizome.org receives 1 million hits per month and has over 15,000 subscribers to its various publications, all representing countries and cultural groups around the world.

Website Link to Organization's History / Organization Overview:

http://www.rhizome.org

2c. Exhibition / Programming / Publishing History.:

Rhizome exhibitions have historically been organized by Rhizome staff. In recent years, they have also been organized by Guest Curators. You can see these exhibits here: http://rhizome.org/art/exhibition/ and by Members, http://rhizome.org/art/member-curated/. The history of exhibitions by Rhizome staff is by far the most significant but has not been compiled. Our most recent exhibition was Rhizome ArtBase 101 which ran at the New Museum this past Summer, from June 22nd to Sept 10th. The release for it is here: http://www.newmuseum.org/more_exh_rhizomeartbase101.htm

Part 3.

3a. Names and email addresses of Founders, Board Members, Directors or other key individuals::

Mark Tribe mark@nothing.org

Additional Names and email addresses of Founders, Board Members, Directors or other key individuals:

Lauren Cornell laurencornell@rhizome.org

Additional Names and email addresses of Founders, Board Members, Directors or other key individuals:

Francis Hwang francis@rhizome.org

Additional Names and email addresses of Founders, Board Members, Directors or other key individuals:

Marisa Olson marisa@rhizome.org

3b. Could any of these individuals assist in providing an oral history of your organization?:

Yes

Part 4.

4a. Is organization currently active?:

Yes

4b. Year activity suspended if no longer active.:

Organization Still Active

Part 5.

5a. Type of organization at its founding.:

Non-Profit [IRS certified]

Part 6.

6a. Does the organization have an archive?:

Yes

6b. Are there any short or long-term threats to the organization?:

None / Not Applicable

6c. Other threats to the organization::

Nonprofits are always struggling to stay alive!

Part 7.

7a. How important is to the organization to preserve the organization’s historical material. From 1 – Very Important to 5 – Not Important.:

1. Very Important

7b. Has planning for the preservation and documentation of archive begun?:

Yes

7c. Does the organization know how and where to seek expertise and assistance?:

7d. Does the organization have specific concerns regarding starting an archive working with its historic materials?:

Fiscal Need

Part 8.

8a. Is the organization's archives in the collection of another institution or promised to one?:

8a. Location:

IF YES to 8: University (Name)

8b. Archival materials are also located at::

Yes

Where are these locations?:

Homes of old staff and Board members

Part 9.

9. Does the organization maintain archives for any other organization.:

survey_field_49:

IF YES to 9: 10a. Please describe:

Part 10a.

10a. Is the archive accessible to scholars, curators or researchers?:

Part 10b.

10b. Are there conditions of access for scholars, curators or researchers?:

Yes

Part 10c.

10c. How are arrangements made for access to archive?:

The first year of our archives are accessible to anyone for free. All ten year, and the use of our advanced search feature, is available only to Members who pay $25/ year.

Part 10d.

10d. Would you allow access in the future?:

Yes

Part 10e.

10e. Under what circumstances would access to archives be allowed.:

People interested in learning about the organization’s history

Part 11.

The following questions address the historical materials (type, quantity and storage) of the organization. 11a. Paper Files and Documents:

Artist Files

Correspondence

Board Minutes

Exhibition or Production Files

Financial Records

Legal Documents

11b. Artwork and Documentation:

CDs / DVDs [Pre-Recorded or CD-R / CD-RW / DVD-R / etc.]

Other Digital Materials

Videotapes

Other::

Other Artwork

11c. Press and Promotional Materials:

Newspaper / Magazine / Media Clippings

Other Press or Promotional Materials - Please describe below.

Other::

Online press, documentation, records.

11d. Printed Publications:

Artists' Publications

Brochures

Commercially Published Materials

Checklists / Performance Programs / Price Lists

Programs of Events

Publication or Merchandise Catalogues

Other::

Other Printed Publications

Other::

Other

Part 12.

12. What years does the materials cover?:

1990-1999

2000-2005

Part 13.

13a. How is the material stored?:

Other Boxes

File Cabinets

Three-Ring Binders

Please describe:

online

13b. Are some or all of these storage units “archival”?:

Some

Part 14.

14a. Estimated Number of Boxes or Milk-Crate Sized Storage Units:

1 - 10

14b. Estimated Number of Archive Drawers:

1 - 10

14c. Estimated Number of Archive Notebooks:

31 - 40

14d. Estimated the total Linear Feet. ["Linear Feet" is standard measure of the quantity of archival materials on the basis of shelf space occupied or the length of drawers in vertical files or the thickness of horizontally filed materials. For example, a:

11 - 20

or:

Not applicable

Other Archive Storage Units - Please describe below.:

our archives occupy server space

Part 15.

15. Is the historical materials - or archives - inventoried or catalogued in any way, either formally or otherwise?:

Yes

Part 16.

16a. Is there a key, index or finding aid to the materials inventoried?:

Yes

16b. Paper-based::

Written or Typewritten Inventories

16c. Electronic Based::

Database

Word Processing Document [i.e. Word]

Spreadsheet [i.e. Excel]

Part 16 / Electronic Files & Archival Management

16f. Does the organization have a back-up program, or back-up schedule, for its electronic records and perform monitoring of its removable media (i.e. floppies, ZIP disks, CD-ROMs, DVDs, portable hard drives, etc.)?:

Yes

16g. Who is responsible for working with the archival material?:

General Staff

Part 16 / Database

16d. What type of database software is in use?:

Other “archives management software” - Please identify below.

Other:

customized artist software

Part 17.

17. How are new materials processed?:

No System

Other:

Marisa Olson, our Editor/ Curator, reviews submissions against our submissions criteria and they enter their work through online forms and sign an agreement.

Part 18.

18. What, if any, conservation methods are in place for both physical materials and electronic data?:

Other - Please describe below.

Other:

backing up of our files!

Part 19.

19. What type of climate-controls are present in the area[s] in which the archives are stored?:

Other - Please describe below.

Other:

the internet is a temperate zone :)

Part 20.

20a. What are the goals for the historical materials for the next year?:

collecting everything

20b. What are the biggest challenges to reaching these short-term goals?:

human resources, i.e an over-extended staff

20c. What goals are in place for the historical materials for the next three to five years?:

to be searchable, ordered

20d. What are the biggest challenges to reaching these long term goals?:

dedicated time out of our busy schedule

20e. Are there any additional goals for the organizations historic materials?:

make them public

Part 21.

21. Estimated cost to achieve these archival goals for the next year.:

$2,001 - $3,000

Part 22.

22. Estimated cost to achieve these archival goals for the next five years.:

$5,001 - $7,500

Part 23.

23e. Not Applicable:

Not Applicable

Part 24.

24. What archival issues could / should visual arts organizations address collectively in the next three to five years? Ranked from 1 (highest priority) to 5 (lowest priority).24a. Shared standards / protocols for digitization:

Promote professional standards / protocols for digitization

Part 25.

25a. Is the organization a member of, or in contact with, any organizations concerned with archival issues?:

Yes

25b. Who?:

Rhizome, Electronic Arts Intermix, Variable Art Initiative

Part 26.

26. Additional information, comments, observations, and questions.:

This survey was really useful for me - I hope you find it useful too!

Finish

survey_field_150:

Rhizome

Who executed this survey.:

Lauren Cornell

Is this survey complete and all appropriate questions answered?:

Yes